If any of you are familiar with Thoreau, you might know he refused to pay taxes to protest the unjust war with Mexico. Why don't we do the same? We're paying for this damn war. We'll boycott it. Only 2% of the money set aside to rebuild Iraq has actually been used for it. There's a form of protest they couldn't easily ignore (if it caught on). Seriously. We should start a movement. Make a website. Advertise. I think it might catch on, considering nobody particularly likes paying taxes in the first place, and it doesn't require an incredible effort. The American left needs to get its balls back anyways.
Only problem is they would be more than happy to throw our asses in jail, and it can be done DISCREETLY. I have as little problem getting arrested as anyone, but at least normally it's done in the public spotlight and something is acomplished out of ourr being arrested.
The problem is, jails in Throeau's time were not the ass-ripping rape fests they are today. He writes in "Civil Disobedience" about how he met a cool guy in the jail and talked with him, today...you'll meet a big guy named Bubba who will want to make you his bitch. It's a great idea, but there's no way I'm going to jail if I can avoid it, now with this harsh reality staring me in the face...
Outside of getting butt humped there's another issue and that's the issue of troop supply. It's been made into a debacle and the first few that stand up and say they're not paying taxes because they don't support the war, guess what's going to happen. You'll be labeled highly 'unamerican' because you're robbing those boys of body armor and guns. Of course, high dollar no bid contracts, deals with corps, etc... will mysteriously never appear in the same context. I have to admit though, the idea is appealing in large numbers.
I haven't filed my IRS tax forms forabout 5 yrs now. Unfortunately seeing as I work at a nursing home I get taxes taken out of every paycheck....I just won't get it back. Even if the gov't caught on to the fact that I haven't filed, there isn't much they would want to do cuz if they did they would learn that they owe me money.
Well I don't pay income tax because I don't really have a job, but what about all the other taxes on groceries and other things. Everybody pays taxes all the time. I guess the only way to really do it is to be totally independant of the system completely.
While I agree with your anti-war sentiments, not paying your income tax won't do anything but land you in prison. It won't even weaken the war movement, because our federal government will spend every dime of its budget regardless of whether or not it actually has the money to pay for it.
